The Aberdeen Bestiary

Folio 10v - Elephant, continued

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Commentary, Translation and Transcription

These sections are located below the image on each page, scroll down page and click on the tabs to view them. It is also possible to view the translation alongside the image by clicking the translation icon in the toolbar

It is not part of the project to provide a definitive edition of the text of the Bestiary, but to help readers by providing a transcription and translation of the text. Currently the following editorial conventions obtain:

Text

The original capitalisation is retained, but capitals have been added for personal and place names, excluding deus and diabolus.

The original punctuation, including a point and inverted semi-colon (both serving as commas), and a point (serving as a full stop), is represented by comma, full stop and question-mark; a colon has been inserted before quotations.

Suggested readings are in [ ].

Variants from other Bestiary texts (eg Ashmole 1511 and Patrologia Latina 176) are added where they indicate a corruption, elucidate a meaning and replace excised text. They are represented as [A: PL:]

Translation

Direct quotations from the Bible, where identified, are cited from the Authorised Version in ( ).

COMMENTARY

Text

Comment

COMMENTARY

Text

The beaver, The ibex.

Illustration

The beaver is a gentle animal whose testicles have a medicinal value. When hunted, the beaver escapes with his life by biting off his testicles. If he is hunted for a second time he shows his incompleteness and is spared. The ibex has two enormously strong horns. If it jumps from the top of a mountain, its body is held safe by its horns.

Comment

Damage to the beaver image is caused by pricking for pouncing on f.11v. Pricking and ruling visible. Initial indicators 'e,e' in the right margin. Initials type 2.